Aftermath
by TheMagnaka
Summary: short one shot


_I usually add all my one shots to Merlin's days (no slash, so if you want read more one or two shots you have to read that) but this time I decided to post its own. Don't know why. _

_Beta by TheJunebug1218_

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><p><strong>Aftermath<strong>

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><p>"Where is he!" Arthur yelled when he saw Gwaine standing near the entrance, his eyes searching him.<p>

"Arthur!" Gwaine yelled, not hearing Arthur's voice.

"Where is he?" Arthur repeated when he jumped again over another dead body.

"In the Great Hall." Gwaine answered and Arthur passed him with incredible speed.

"Arthur! Wait!" Gwaine yelled after him, but Arthur didn't want to stop. He didn't want to hear what had happened, he just wanted to see it himself.

The Great Hall's big double doors were shattered and for the first time fear raised its head. The whole castle was messed up, dead people everywhere, but when Arthur stopped in front of those door's broken lintel, he knew that the worst was just ahead of him. Someone's hand landed on his shoulder.

"Arthur…" Gwaine's voice was full of concern.

"It is okay Gwaine. I know now. And now I have to see him before… before it's too late."

Gwaine lowered his hand and nodded. Arthur collected all of his willpower and entered the hall. The walls were burned. One of the corners Arthur saw a blonde woman's corpse and his hands sank into a fist. But then his eyes met the view that he was most afraid of.

Before the throne he saw small group of people. Gwen, bent over the puny figure on the floor and was crying. Leon looked up and saw Arthur in the doorway. He said something to Lancelot and hurried toward Arthur.

"How… how is he?" Arthur whispered when Leon was closer. Leon seemed uncertain as to what he should say.

"Not good. I don't know… He got really nasty hits from them. Some of his ribs are broken. And…" Leon couldn't say more.

"Where is Gaius?" Arthur asked.

"He is coming." Leon answered. He had already sent word to the old physician. Arthur stepped forward again, and stopped again.

"How could I face him? I judged him wrong. I make a big mistake back then."

"A huge one, yes. That's why you have to see him now. And you know him. He will forgive you. If he doesn't, I'm not sure that we would have survived today." Gwaine said. Arthur wasn't still sure of it.

"But, this is his home. He didn't do that because of me. You didn't turn your back on him. You didn't leave him to die. He is here for you, for the sake of his friends and family."

"But you are also his friend, his family. Just go now." Gwaine sighed. Arthur started to walk again. Elyan pulled his sister away and exposed Merlin to Arthur. Arthur stopped again. He couldn't move. Merlin's hair and clothes still smoked and smoldered. There were burn marks all over his body. His arm was bent in at a odd angle. On his temple was a large cut and the blood colored half of his face red.

"Arthur?" Merlin's voice was weak and when he turned his head to look Arthur he hissed in pain.

"No, don't move. Please, just, be still. Gaius will be here soon. You are going to be okay. I promise you. What ever it takes, I promise, you will be okay." Arthur slumped to his knees beside him. He didn't know what to do. He didn't dare to touch him.

"You… are safe." Merlin smiled painfully. He took a deep breath between his words. "I was… afraid that… I was too late."

"Everything is alright. The battle is over. We won. Thank you."

"You… didn't… believe me… Arthur." Merlin blamed.

"I'm sorry Merlin. Please forgive me." Arthur tried to wipe the blood off Merlin's face.

"I'm here… aren't I? Saving… your ass… again?"

"Yes, yes you are. And everything is going to be normal again. Right Merlin? Merlin?"

But Merlin was stopped moving, his breathing slowed.

"I'm so sorry for everything. Just, just don't die." Arthur whispered. He couldn't fight against the tears anymore.

"And who… told you that… I was… dying?" Merlin asked suddenly.

Arthur froze. He looked Merlin who peek at him under his eyelids.

"I'm just… tired… you know. It was a pretty… fierce… battle… between three sorcerers. Morgause wasn't… easy opponent. And… Morgana… she's gotten so strong lately. She really is… gifted. But do you… really think… that I couldn't… handle them?" Merlin closed his eyes. Slowly Arthur turned to look his knights. His grinning knights. Lancelot who looked amused. Gwaine who tried hide his laughing. Leon and Elyan, both seemed sheepish. And Gwen.

"Guinevere? Not you too."

"You really really deserved it. After all that you put him through, you deserved it." Gwen's voice was harsh. Arthur blushed with shame.

"Prat." Merlin murmured, almost in sleep now.

"Idiot." Arthur said and smiled. Although the shock, he war reviled that Merlin was still alive. "Welcome back to the Camelot."


End file.
